, 1887-09-06
The Medical Congress.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5.-In round
Numbers it is estimated that the invading
army of doctors now contains about 5000
individuals. The work of registration is
still in progress and the exact figures are
not yet obtainable. OF the number nine
tenths are Americans. OF three or four
hundred foreigners present there are
ford, portly Englishmen, swarthy Ital
ians, Turks, Persians, blonde Russians,
Norwegians and Swedes, with Frenchmen,
Danes, Germans, Servians, Mexicans and
South Americans in every type Of emf
nent responsibility. French appears to
be the favorite tongue for international
communion, but there are not a few
among the foreigners who seem to turn
without an effort from Servian to Spanish
and from Norwegian to Greek.
Before the hour for opening the con-
gress every seat in Albaugh's opera house
was occupied. President Cleveland, Sec.
rotary Bayard and Speaker Carlisle were
escorted by DR.. Garnett to seats upon the
stage at II O'Clock, and were greeted with
applause by the audience.
The assemblage was called to order by
Prot. Henry NJ. Smith, of Philadelphia,
chairman OF the executive committee.
He said it was known to all present, as
well as to physicians throughout the
world, that in May, 1884, representative
members OF the profession in the United
States decided to send fraternal
greeting to the eighth international
medical congress, then about to assemble
in the capitol of Denmark, and asked that
the ninth international medical congress
might meet in the city of Washington.
This invitation being accepted, an execu-
tive committee was named to make the
necessary arrangements. and the result of
their labors was seen in this large assem-
bly,, which the register showed contained
many of the most brilliant and distin-
guished medical minds of Europe, Asia
and America. To welcome these guests
of the profession and to show his interest
in the great humanitarian object, the
president of the United States had CON
sent d to open the congress for organiza-
ton, and he had the honor to announce
| the Hon. Grover Cleveland, president of
the United States of America.
The president, when the applause had
| subsidized said: II feel that the country
should be congratulated to-day upon the
presence at the capitol of so many of our
citizens and those representing foreign
countries who have distinguished them
selves in the science of medicine and my
duty on this occasion is a pleasing and
very brief one. 1t is my intention simply
to declare that the tenth international
medical congress is now open for organ
~ization and for the transaction ofbusiness. "
The chairman of the executive COM
mittee then proceeded to nominate the
gentlemen agreed upon by the committee
to be officers of the congress.
DR.. Nathan Smith Davis, Of Chicago,
was chosen president OF the congress by
reclamation. DR.. John B. Hamilton,
supervising surgeon general of the United
States marine hospital service, having
been elected secretary general of the
congress, nominated the gentlemen agreed
upon as vice presidents of the congress,
and they were elected by reclamation.
The list contained 100 or more names.
The only Americans in the list are ex-
presidents of the American Medical AS
ISOLATION and surgeons general of the army
and navy. The foreigners on the list in
cludes all who come as delegates from
their respective governments, together
with many others of distinction.